


Footprints

by tobeconspicuous



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Pining, Soulmates, light angst really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 11:03:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13409910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tobeconspicuous/pseuds/tobeconspicuous
Summary: Burgundy footprints lead Sonny to the man of his dreams...





	Footprints

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Astronaut_Milky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astronaut_Milky/gifts).



> For Astronaut_Milky, for being insanely supportive in my ventures outside of Barisi and offline. You are wonderful. She also beta'd, a trend these days perhaps?
> 
> But also for everyone who has gifted me a soulmate AU, bless you all.
> 
> I was sick of writing adaptations and wanted to write something original. About halfway through writing this I realised it has a very similar plot to my first Soulmate AU for this fandom. Whoops. I tried to make it different enough, thought it may explain the ending better, I hope you enjoy. 
> 
> This is also my 20th Barisi fic! Would you look at that?
> 
> I do not own, only enjoy, and I hope you do to. Feedback is very much appreciated.

He remembers it clearly. 

The footprints are a rich burgundy color, they are scattered along the pavement, stopping and starting, clearly dashing through the crowd. For the first time in his short life Sonny wrenches his hand away from his mother and follows the brightly colored prints. Eventually his father catches him by the waist, Sonny fights but it is futile. He cries real tears as the footprints slowly fade and he is dragged away. That evening his parents sit him down and tell him about soulmates and Sonny would give anything in the world to see those richly colored prints again.

As he grows older and starts exploring the city he occasionally spots a set of burgundy prints here and there. He’s never fast enough to catch them though, they seem to be forever out of his reach. Eventually he gives up looking, concentrates on his studies, his career, his family, after all how many people actually spent their lives with their soulmate?

The day Sonny meets his soulmate is nothing special. He has been at Manhattan SVU for a few days, he is sitting hunched over his desk filing paperwork and wishing that the Sergeant would give him something more exciting to do when two rather expensive looking shoes appear at his desk. As Sonny looks up he notices the trail of burgundy prints trailing behind the wearer and a single thought crosses his mind. Why didn’t I shave my moustache this morning?

The owner of the expensive shoes was wearing an equally expensive looking suit. Sonny felt his face heat as his eyes ran over handsome features and landed on stunning green eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, the other man cocking a brow as he appraised Sonny in a similar way. And then he left, walked into Olivia’s office without a second glance back. Sonny’s heart sank.

A thought began to creep into the back of Sonny’s mind, a realisation of sorts. He had been sitting at his desk for the last forty minutes, his footprint trail may not be there, no one knew how long they remained visible for. Sonny quickly found himself standing and reaching for his mug, he grabbed it, he made his way to the break room slowly. He began to make himself a cup of coffee, trying to keep his mind occupied. By the time he had finished and he returned to his desk, he came to realize his soulmate had already left.

The quick flitter of disappointment that Sonny felt was soon replaced by one of joy. He leaned back at his desk, sipping his coffee slowly. It was only their first meeting, there would be plenty more. For the first time in a long time Sonny felt hope.

\--

Three months into working for Manhattan SVU Sonny had begun to realize something, Rafael Barba never looked down, never to look at his own feet, or to look at another’s. At first Sonny thought it was to do with appearing confident, after several conversations with the man he realized that Barba didn’t need to appear confident, he was confident. Sonny tried various methods to get Rafael to look at him, none succeeded. 

Sonny tried to impress the man with his legal knowledge, that seemed to always end with Barba rolling his eyes and dismissing him. He bought himself new, properly fitting suits and tried ‘the old bend down to tie up his shoe routine’, Barba didn’t even look up. Sonny eventually knocked a pen from Barba desk, only to be met with a cocked brow and a scathing look. Finally, one cool afternoon in March, he found himself asking Rollins about it. 

“What’s the deal with Barba?” He queried while handing his colleague the coffee he had ordered for her.

Rollins appeared amused at the question, “What do you mean?”

“Have you noticed he never looks at the ground?” Sonny continued in between sips of his own beverage. “Isn’t he curious? Doesn’t he want to find his soulmate?”

Amanda suddenly stopped and turned to look at him. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?” He couldn’t help the nervous tone from creeping into his voice.

“Oh hun,” Amanda could read him like a book. “Barba is unique, he ca-”

“Can’t see his soulmates footprints?” He could feel himself go numb.

“If you let me finish,” Amanda’s brow furrowed into a fake glare. “He can see everyone’s footprints.”

“Oh...”

“That’s really all you’re gonna say?” Amanda laughed, though it wasn’t cruel, she clearly didn’t know how to react. 

Sonny looked away, he tried to conceal the hurt on his face. It was then that he was certain that Amanda realized that something was truly wrong, when she wrapped her arms around him and let him sob into her shoulder. As his heart began to crack, Sonny held onto his colleague as though the world was ending.

At the end of their shift, Rollins dragged him to a bar and soon Sonny found himself pouring his heart out. As the evening crept on, Rollins became Amanda, Carisi became Sonny, the conversation quickly became easy and Sonny felt as though he had someone he could really talk to. Eventually they parted ways, Amanda’s final words playing heavily on his mind.

_ ‘You’ll find a way Sonny, one day. _ ’

\--

It had taken Sonny several weeks to come up with a plan, he wanted to earn Rafael’s respect and then once they had a healthy working relationship then maybe they could become more. Sonny started by focusing on his studies, learning from Amanda, Amaro, Fin and Benson, he found himself becoming a better student and detective.

One afternoon after a particularly gruelling case Sonny found himself sitting with the rest of the team at a bar. There was no celebration to be had, the perp had walked on a technicality. Sergeant Benson had attempted to give them all a pep talk, promised that they would catch the perp next time. The thought made Sonny sick, the fact that there would be a next time, and it was all their fault.

Eventually Fin left, he had an early shift the next day. Then Amanda and Amaro announced they were leaving, their attempt to be subtle failed spectacularly when they kissed outside the front window of the bar. Sonny tried to act surprised but judging by the looks on Benson and Barba’s faces neither of them were.

Barba was the next to stand, he clapped Sonny on the shoulder and muttered a brief farewell before he made his way to the exit. Sonny couldn’t help but watch the trail of burgundy footprints the man left behind him. Eventually as the prints faded Sonny turned back to the Sergeant who seemed to have a knowing look on her face.

Sonny quickly finished his drink before nodding a brief farewell and leaving Benson at the bar. As he made his way home he noticed that there was a slight bounce in his step, and he chuckled quietly to himself. He couldn’t believe he had only just realized it.

Rafael Barba had touched him.

\--

It was a doozy of a case, students,  _ minors _ , engaging in sexual activity, photos were taken and had been leaked. Sonny felt for the students, he really didn’t want their futures ruined by a potential court case. “Since there’s no minor engaged in sexual activity with anybody over eighteen, I don’t see statutory.”

“You don’t, not your call,” As Barba eyed Sonny the detective could feel a blush creep up the back of his neck. “But you’re right.”

Sonny released a breath he didn’t know he was holding. His small victory was short lived though when Barba reprimanded him about the images on his work iPad, and of course Amanda teased him about it that evening after they had finished work. Sonny didn’t care though, Barba had agreed with him, albeit grudgingly, a sign that his plan was slowly working.

\--

When Rafael Barba smiled at Sonny for the first time the man’s heart stopped for a second, his palms grew sweaty and heat began to pool in his groin. The prosecutor had never looked more handsome. As quickly as the smile arrived it vanished again, the usual smirk appeared in its place. Sonny had seen it though, the elusive and rare Barba smile, and it had been directed him him. 

Every so often the detective found his mind wandering, re-examining every details of that small but perfect smile. Sonny couldn't wait to revel in another.

\--

They had been working together almost three years when Rafael finally agreed to dinner. Their evening had been spent dining at a hole in the wall several blocks from the prosecutor’s apartment. They split a bottle of wine and talked about anything and everything, talked until they were politely asked to leave by the staff.

Like a true gentlemen Sonny walked Rafael to the entrance of his apartment, side by side, their hands brushing occasionally as they bumped into one another. Occasionally Sonny would look back, his heart racing each time he caught a glimpse of burgundy footprints trailing behind his date. When they finally reached their destination Sonny turned to Rafael, unsure how he wanted to proceed.

As always the prosecutor caught him off guard, Rafael reached up and pulled Sonny towards him, capturing his mouth expertly. The rush Sonny felt was better than he ever imagined, the years they had spent flirting finally culminated in a perfect moment. When their mouths finally parted Sonny tentatively asked for a second date, his heart leapt at the prosecutors simple answer. 

“Yes.”

\--

Several dates later they fell into bed, skin on skin, feather soft touches. As he and Rafael came closer to completion, Sonny realised he had never felt anything so perfect, so natural in his life. Once they had finished, and had come down from their high, Sonny spent the night wrapped in Rafael’s arms, a tangle of legs below the covers. He was awoken the next morning by the press of his lover’s lips on the back of his neck, Sonny couldn’t help the warm smile that blossomed.

He eventually untangled himself, made his way to the bathroom and relieved himself. The grin was still plastered across his face when Sonny hopped back into bed and snuggled into Rafael once more. If he had looked closely he would have noticed a puzzled expression on the older man’s face.

“Cerulean,” Rafael murmured, Sonny turned to see a rare smile teasing at the man’s mouth.

“Huh?”

“Your footprints,” Rafael lifted himself onto his elbow and ran his free hand lightly up Sonny’s side before using it to cup the detective’s face. “They’re cerulean.”

“Blue is my favourite color,” Sonny chuckled before he allowed Rafael to lean down and steal a sweet kiss.

“They’re the only one’s I can see at the moment,” Rafael pressed another kiss into Sonny’s neck. “Pretty, bright, cerulean.”

“I thought you could see everyones?” Sonny chuckled as he reveled in the attention Rafael was giving him.

Sonny watched as a look of realisation dawned on the prosecutor’s face. “Everyone else's have turned gray...” 

“Burgundy,” Sonny said gently.

“What?”

“If you were wondering what color yours are,” Sonny guided Rafael’s mouth to his own, unable to keep the smile off his face when their lips met. “They’re burgundy.”

\--

 

_ After he touched detective Carisi for the first time Rafael noticed Olivia’s footprints lost their color. _

 

_ After he agreed with detective Carisi for the first time Rafael noticed Fin’s footprints lost their color. _

 

_ After he smiled at detective Carisi for the first time Rafael noticed that Rollin’s and Amaro’s footprints lost their color. _

 

_ After he kissed detective Carisi for the first time Rafael’s heart raced and his vision blurred, all he could see was the man standing in front of him. _

 

_ After the first night he spent with Dominick Carisi Jr, all he could see were cerulean footprints all over his apartment.  _

 

_ It was then that Rafael knew for certain, he had found his soulmate. _


End file.
